Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has announced she is withdrawing from the race to be the next UN Secretary-General. Her decision comes after a third unofficial Security Council vote, in which her candidacy received just one vote “in favor”, 11 votes “against” and three neutral positions.
Bachelet, a two-time president of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, announced her decision in a video on social media. She indicated that she did not regret her participation, but she believed that the time was not right for the candidacy she wanted to present.
The last unofficial vote put former Vice President of Costa Rica and current head of UNCTAD Rebecca Greenspan in the lead with nine votes "for encouragement". She was followed by the representative of Guyana, Caroline Rodriguez-Burkett, with eight. However, the results do not definitively determine the future Secretary-General.
To be recommended by the Security Council, a candidate must receive the support of at least nine of the 15 members and not be blocked by any of the five permanent veto-wielding countries - the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom. The candidacy is then submitted for approval by the UN General Assembly.
The term of the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, expires on 31 December 2026, and his successor is due to take office on 1 January 2027.